Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2021 i Golf Magazine

I TOOK MY FIRST GOLF LESSON as a seventh grader—a weeklong summer “camp” at Yorba Linda (yes, land of Nixon) Country Club, of which our family were not members. I learned stance, some etiquette and not much else. In the 40 years since, however, I’ve had hundreds of game-changing lessons, due mostly to the fact that this July-August 2021 issue of GOLF is (loosely counted) the 300th magazine I’ve helped publish over the past quarter century, to say nothing of the dozen instruction books I’ve authored, coauthored or written for someone else. As you might imagine, my mind pulses with swing thoughts every time I step over a shot. Having worked with most teachers of note—all of whom have been more than eager to share their insights on how to…

“IT WAS A MORNING when all nature shouted ‘Fore.’ The breeze seemed to bring a message of hope and cheer, whispering of chip shots holed and brassies landing squarely on the meat.” —P.G. Wode-house, “The Heart of a Goof” ’Tis the time of year when such glorious days abound, and the shade of a sturdy tree, a faithful Adirondack chair, a cocktail and the Wodehouse collection known as The Golf Omni-bus beckon. If you don’t own it, immediately change that aspect of your life before you draw another breath. Not more than a week ago I was preparing to revisit that incomparable collection of 31 golf-related stories. Puzzling over the perfect cocktail to accompany me, a eureka moment occurred. “Eureka!” blurted I. “What?” said the missus to her favorite dunderhead.…

“The ball is the key piece of equipment, It can help you or hurt you, depending on if you play the right or wrong model.” SERGIO GARCÍA, at just 19 years old, scissor-kicked his way into golf fans’ hearts at the 1999 PGA Championship in a duel with Tiger Woods. That was before the days of 460cc drivers, portable launch monitors and solid-core golf balls. The golf equipment landscape has changed drastically since then, and García, the 2017 Masters champion, has proven his game translates into the modern era. Although the now-41-year-old still calls himself a “feel player” and says he longs for the creativity-inducing golf ball designs of old, he’s learned to use launch monitor data during his gear testing sessions to complement and confirm his feels. García’s career…

WHEN ONE OF THE best putters over the last two decades speaks, you listen. During a recent episode of GOLF’s “Fully Equipped” podcast, True Spec Golf ambassador and four-time PGA Tour winner Aaron Baddeley offered tips for long-lasting success on the greens. Make it simple: “I just try and hole it. It sounds funny, but it’s like throwing to first base. When you pick it up at shortstop or third, you’re not thinking of how to plant your feet. You’re not thinking of what position your elbow needs to be in or when you’re going to release it—you just look at first and where you want the ball to go. Same goes when putting.” Measure your aim: “Aim is priority number one. If you can’t aim the face where you…

IN THE WORLD OF WEDGES, it’s good to have options. Even the most versatile scoring tool won’t work for every golfer, which is why so many equipment manufacturers these days offer a multitude of lofts, bounces and grinds. The “perfect wedge” is no longer reserved for those who possess a Tour card. For example, the new PING Glide Forged Pro ($217 each) now includes expanded lofts (59 Eye2 and 62 degrees) and two different sole grinds (“S” and “T”) for the player who wants to take their short game to the next level. The precision-milled, wheel-cut grooves deliver more zip and work in tandem with a Hydropearl 2.0 finish on the head that repels water for more consistent spin rates from the rough and soggy conditions. It’s easy to see…

Growing up in wee-town Ireland, far off the American golfer’s tourist trail, Shane Lowry had two athletic models. One was his father, a tiler by profession and a Gaelic football legend by reputation. The other was Tiger Woods. Shane was born in April 1987, and for his 10th birthday (just about) Tiger gave him his 12-shot win at the Masters. The 1997 Masters, right there on the family telly. What a gift. As for his father, Shane inherited Brendan Lowry’s eye-hand and passion for sport, but not his speed or body type. Shane found his own way to golf. He started on a local pitch-and-putt and before long could get around in level 3s, raindrops on his glasses. Then, as luck would have it, in 1997 (there’s that year again!)…

(New teachers listed in blue) Dale Abraham Bighorn GC, Palm Desert, CA Insta: @swing.md Top 100 since: 2017 Eric Alpenfels Pinehurst Resort, Pinehurst, NC Insta: @pinehurstresort Top 100 since: 2001 Cheryl Anderson Mike Bender Golf Academy, Lake Mary, FL Insta: @cherylgolf Top 100 since: 2013 Todd Anderson Center at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Twitter: @ToddAndersonTPC Top 100 since: 2003 Jason Baile Jupiter Hills Club, Jupiter, FL Insta: @jasonbailepga Top 100 since: 2019 Michael Bender Mike Bender Golf Academy, Lake Mary, FL mikebender.com Top 100 since: 1996 Mark Blackburn Greystone G&CC, Hoover, AL Twitter: @blackburngolf Top 100 since: 2013 Steve Bosdosh Steve Bosdosh Golf Academy, P.B. Dye GC, Ijamsville, MD Insta: @stevebosdosh Top 100 since: 2001 Michael Breed CBS Sports Insta: @michaelbreed Top 100 since: 2003 Jason Carbone Woodland…

Early on in Jack’s career, well before the days of clothing sponsorships and all-over logos, he would wear clothes simply embroidered with his initials, JWN. Of course, the Golden Bear logo itself became the iconic Jack Nicklaus insignia, but we like that this spin feels both vintage and fresh. Think of it as the hipster version of a classic Golden Bear cap. If you’re a hardcore Jack-is-the-G.O.A.T. fan, this is the hat you’ll want to wear. We have a few versions in the GOLF.com Pro Shop—the three pictured above plus a few more ($30; proshop.golf.com). They’re sold exclusively here, so make sure you get yours while they’re still in stock! No promises we’ll ever bring them back.…

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, you’ve got a lot of junk on your computer. Over my years as a GOLFTEC coach, I’ve acquired thousands of files, documents and, yes, a couple hundred swing videos, many of which have served little purpose other than royally clogging my hard drive. Every so often, all that junk gives way to a purge—a cathartic deletion of all that stuff. As golfers, we keep a lot of junk on our personal hard drive: swing hitches, bad thoughts, avoidable mistakes. But when it comes time to start getting rid of the junk, too many students see it as an opportunity to get rid of everything, blowing up their entire swing and starting from scratch. Not smart. Paul, whose GOLFTEC instruction data you can see on the right,…

THERE’S DEFINITELY an increase in the number of sunglasses spotted on the PGA Tour this season, and for good reason. The technology and material advancements made over the past several years have allowed golfers at every level to become more comfortable sporting shades on course. The Oakley Frogskins Lite ($126) are a terrific example of this trend. As you might expect, the Frogskins refuse to sacrifice style or performance. They feature a semi-rimless frame design that provides a standout look in all situations. The Prizm lens not only protects your eyes but also enhances contrast from tee to green. Oakley’s performance technology and handsome design helps you keep your eyes on the prize in every circumstance.…

MOST DRIVING RANGES use balls that are designed to minimize cost and withstand years and years of abuse. But how different is their performance from high-end balls or the ones you actually put into play? To find out, I took a Foresight Sports GC Quad launch monitor out to my local range. Using my gamer driver, I hit the range’s yellow-striped, rock-hard range balls against my preferred stash of Titleist Pro V1s. The results showed a drastic difference. The range balls produced higher spin rates (+158 rpm) and lower launch (1.47 degrees). More critical, I saw less speed with the rangers compared to my Pro V1s (162.7 mph versus 168.7 mph) and shorter carry distances (280 yards versus 298 yards—a 6 percent drop!). If your ego is taking a hit…

It’s a quiet afternoon in Stillwater, Oklahoma, but not inside Viktor Hovland’s car. Cruising through the college town that he has made his home, Hovland has his playlist on shuffle and the volume cranked up ear-bleed loud. A demonic howl fills the cabin of his cloud-white Lexus, backed by frenzied drumming and distorted guitar. Hovland nods and grins amid the din, the same impish expression he’s known for on the course. “I have no idea what the singer is saying,” he says, raising his voice to be heard. “But it all sounds great to me.” The song, by a band called Karmanjakah, is progressive metal, mellow in comparison to death metal, a popular genre in Hovland’s native Norway, but also a far cry from country and western, perhaps the only…

After all, you’re not supposed to think about winning The Open through 36 holes. Or 54 holes. Too many things can happen. But when you shoot six under on the first 11 holes on Sunday at Royal St. George’s, like I did in 2003, life starts moving pretty fast. I held on tight to the clubhouse lead and suddenly three different cameramen were sticking their lenses in my face. It was a lot! Did I ever think I was going to win a major? I don’t know. But I did always dream of playing and winning on the Tour. Then, wham, it happens on the biggest stage and I’m on the cover of every newspaper in the London airport. Days later, I am on a whirlwind media tour in New…

Andrew Rice, director of instruction at The Club at Savannah Harbor and a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, has branded himself “the Everyday Golfer’s Coach.” This made him just the guy for PING to ask to take a look at the work of a company named Arccos with which it had a fledgling partnership. As a man who prides himself on being fact-driven, not ego-driven, and who asks his students to be the same, Rice can admit that at first blush he didn’t see the big whoop. “I said, ‘Eh, I don’t know, I’m good,’” Rice recalls of seeing Arccos in action back in spring 2019. “The guys at PING came back to me and said, ‘Andrew, please, take another look, because there’s something to this stuff.’” Arccos’ stuff was, and…

HORTON SMITH is much more than the answer to the trivia question “Who was the first Masters champion?” “The Joplin Ghost” was Tiger before Tiger. That’s no exaggeration: The Missouri native won more professional titles (28) than anyone before the age of 30 until Woods appeared on the scene seven decades later. Smith had eight wins in 1928 alone, and in 1930 was the only player, pro or amateur, to defeat Bobby Jones during his Grand Slam year, at the strokeplay Savannah Open. The PGA Tour launched in 1934, and in 1936 Smith topped the money list, propelled by his second Masters triumph. He eventually accumulated 30 Tour titles and later served as PGA of America president. In 1939, however, Smith was just a player struggling with his swing following his…

Talk about your sweet spots. Phil Mickelson and Stewart Cink were playing together in Charlotte, N.C., in May, in the Sunday round. Two golfers, almost 100 years between them, and still hitting it square on the face, with speed. Sweetness indeed. Two golfers marching down Quail Hollow’s wide fairways, neither with any chance to win, chatting about this, chatting about that. As public personalities, neither man is like the other. (Phil’s all look-at-me. Stew blends.) But as sentient beings, these two Open Championship winners are cut from the same cloth. They ask, they seek. Cink, a few weeks earlier, had won at Hilton Head. Mickelson, after a first-round 64 at Quail Hollow, had shot rounds of 75 and 76. They both had bloodline caddies. Carrying Cink’s bag was his younger…

Now that summer is officially here (invoking its own 90-degree rule), beating the heat becomes just as important as beating Old Man Par. The fix? Add a pair of KJUS Ikes to your closet. These handsome shorts are made from a high-quality, comfortable stretch fabric and come in a wide array of colors. The real kicker is their water-repellent finish, intended to protect against the dirt and stains you’re bound to pick up during your round (or later at lunch). ($129; kjus.com) From the bottom to the top, find all your summer apparel and more at proshop.golf.com…

THERE’S PERHAPS NO better place to dig in to a traditional English breakfast than at Royal St. George’s—site of this month’s Open Championship in Sandwich, England. “Many of us drive to the club from a distance—London and beyond,” club captain Tim Dickson said via e-mail. “So the mouthwatering prospect of a ‘full English’ keeps us going on the journey.” The highly anticipated buffet-style spread includes sausages, “rashers” (thick cuts of bacon), baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding (a regional type of blood sausage) and eggs available any way you like them. There’s also fried bread, a much-loved delicacy that is not simply buttered, but literally deep-fried. “A lot of the members say their wives won’t allow them to eat it at home,” laughs George Chadwick, Royal St. George’s head chef…

The one move I’ll never change My swing has changed a lot over the years, and probably will keep changing. When I decided I needed more distance to take my game to the next level in 2020, I didn’t just change my body. I changed my swing too. I used to hit a fade (because I wanted to be like Ben Hogan). I won the U.S. Amateur and NCAA Championship with it, but now I hit a draw on almost every shot, something I worked on with my coach, Chris Como. We added movement and momentum—and a bunch of yards. One thing I haven’t changed is my wrist position at setup. I use ulnar deviation: left wrist lined up with my forearm and fingers pointing down. Draw or fade, this…

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN you combine an uber-popular putterhead shape with arguably the most impactful alignment aid in the history of golf? The Odyssey 2-Ball Ten ($300)—a game-changing mallet that’s taken the PGA Tour by storm this season. The putter of choice for a number of high-profile pros (Callaway staffer Jon Rahm tops the list of users) is built around the manufacturer’s ever-popular two-balled crown alignment system that first debuted two decades ago. When the ball is situated in front of the two white disks, it makes it appear as if three balls are in a row at address, creating a consistent visual to the cup. And if you need a stronger visual aid on the 2-Ball crown, alternate options exist, including Odyssey’s Triple Track technology or a single black line…

We got you covered with the latest polos and a whole lot more at proshop.golf.com WHILE THE CREATION of the polo shirt traces back to the early days of, well, polo, the garment has since become synonymous with tennis and golf. But these days, mostly golf. And when it comes time to plan an outfit, it starts and stops with this piece of apparel. Plus, you can tell a lot about a golfer based on the polo they’re wearing. When you spy someone wearing a Criquet, you know you’re playing with someone who has a timeless sense of style and likely takes their game as seriously as their attire. The Criquet Pima Stretch Players ($94) is perfect for on-course performance or a night out on the town. This old-school design…

AT the crossroads of myth and time, and the natural world and championship golf, sits Royal St. George’s, a conduit to ancient days and the roots of the relatively newish links game. The town of Sandwich, home to roughly 5,000 souls, is where you’ll find the golf course named for the patron saint of England, who lived so long ago that all we know of him is a mysterious blur of legends and dragons and crusades and disjointed hagiography. The passage of time and timelessness are juxtaposed in Sandwich, in the county of Kent in southeast England, about as close as you can get to continental Europe while keeping your feet dry on the UK’s home island. In its heyday as a port—which had already come and gone 300 years…

Shaun Webb Student: Chanc Willis (18, Reinhardt University) MEET THE TEEN WHO TACKED ON 17 MPH OF SPEED Chanc Willis weighs about a buck fifty. When we first started working with him a year ago, he was averaging 114 mph with his driver. Impressive, yet considering his athleticism, it was clear he was leaving speed on the table. We went to work, and by the time he entered college, he was pumping it at 131 mph—the fastest we’ve recorded from a junior at Athletic Motion Golf. We focused on getting Chanc to maintain width on his backswing, specifically getting him to keep his left arm straight (left). A lot of my rec students fold their left arm—that pretty much shuts down your whole body. Fight the fold the next time you…

1 Nail Your Putting Stance A solid address puts your stroke on auto I recommend working on your putting setup indoors, because it can make the transition to putting on a real green much easier. A few training aids can really speed up the process. Here, Alexandra’s using the Perfect Putting Mat and a Putting Alignment Mirror. Inside 10 minutes these items can help you check your ball position, weight distribution and how you’re aligning (or misaligning) your feet, hips, shoulders and putterhead. Use the mirror to make sure everything is running parallel to each other and perpendicular to your line. Take these checks a step further by investing in a pair of Laser Putting Glasses, which help you correctly get your eyes over the ball every time you address…

Mike Adams Bedminster Township, NJ Scotland Peggy Kirk Bell* USA Percy Boomer* England Chuck Cook Austin, TX Manuel de la Torre* USA Seymour Dunn* Scotland Jim Flick* USA Hank Haney McKinney, TX Jim Hardy Houston, TX Butch Harmon Henderson, NV Claude Harmon Sr.* USA Michael Hebron Smithtown, NY John Jacobs* England Ernest Jones* England David Leadbetter Orlando, FL Davis Love Jr.* USA Jack Lumpkin St. Simons Island, GA Jim McLean Miami, FL Eddie Merrins Los Angeles, CA Dave Pelz Austin, TX Harvey Penick* USA Paul Runyan* USA Bill Strausbaugh Jr.* USA Dr. Jim Suttie Naples, FL Bob Toski Coconut Creek, FL Gary Wiren West Palm Beach, FL *In memorium…

1. READ Inner Excellence, by Jim Murphy. The subtitle says it all (and then some): Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life. 2. STOP drinking soda. For a guy who lives in Atlanta (ancestral home of Coca-Cola), not an easy thing to say. Well, the company makes Vitaminwater too. 3. STRENGTHEN your back. Do the Pigeon Pose. Yes, it’s a yoga thing. Real men do yoga. That’s what Lisa keeps telling Stewart. Check it out. 4. LISTEN while you watch. During golf broadcasts, players and caddies often talk about the best place to miss. So why aren’t you? 5. PRACTICE your short game with a purpose. Put nine balls on the side of the green. Challenge yourself: I’m gonna get five of these up-and-down. 6. HYDRATE. As oil…

G: There’s a YouTube video of you that went viral—you crushing a golf ball at a range. How far did it go? MT: I have no idea. We just all tried to hit it as far as we could. By the second or third swing, we started drawing a crowd. I went up there and the adrenaline was running pretty good. I connected with it and the ball went over the net. G: Your longest recorded home run is 489 feet. How far would you say your longest drive has been? MT: Probably over 400 [yards]. It’s got to be a downhill par 5. If I’m hitting it straight, I’m anywhere from 330 to 380. G: Do the Angels let you play golf during the season? MT: Yes. I play…